Motion-picture machine



F. SEYMOUR. Menon PICTURE MACHINE..

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.'1

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F.. SEYMOUR. MOUN PICTURE MACHINE.

- l APPLICATION FgLD'Nov.13,1g1` 1,317,043.-

yPatentedSm. 23, 1919.

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Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

F. SEYMOUR. MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I3. 191B.

` 4WITNESS: t

F. SEYMOUR.

MOTION PlcTURE MACHINE.'

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I3. I9|8.

Patented sept. 23, 1919.

5 SHEETSwSHEET 4.

F. SEYMOUR.

MoTLoN PICTURE MACHINE` APPmcAUoN FILED Nov. 1s. 191s. y 1,317,043. lPatent-@asm 23,1919. y y 1 l5 SHEETS-SHEET;

UNITED STATES 4PATENT oEEicE.

FRANCIS SEYMOUR, 0F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

Morton-PICTURE MACHINE;

' y Specification of Letters Patent. Patented-Sept 23, 1919 Applicationfiled November 13y 1918. lSerial No. 262,289.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS SEYMOUR, a

citizen of the United States, residing atPatersoii, in the county ofPassaic and State of New Jeise have invented certain new and Vsets offilms) one forward and the other backward; by this,fwith the drivino`means constantly going, there may Abe effected -a substantiallyuninterrupted delivery of pictures, for always while one4 film isdelivering the other film is being reset (rewound),.the reverse takingplace when the p delivering film becomes exhausted. My invention, as tothis part thereof, also contem. plates in the best form a s hutter meansand an illuminating means to coperate with the delivery film in' theillusion of so-called moving pictures.

chine. I now proceed to describethat eni-v bodinient of my inventionwhich is Ashown in detail inthe accompanying drawings,

finallyv pointing out'the salient novel features iii the claims whichare appended .to this specification.

Figure l in said drawings is a front eleration ofthe machine; Fig. 2.aside elevation; .v i. Fig. 2 shows a certain cam 13 developed in avplane;

Figs. 8 and el. are horizontal sectional' y tained by the rollers 7L, j,0 and because the 1 two upper shafts 7c and Z are geared to the ,twolower ones as will appear.

views on lines 3 3, 4 4, Fig. 2; Figs. 5 and 6 are front elevations ofshutter and light-cutter;

Fig. 7 is a plan of the'shutter and lightcutter;

Figs. 8 and 9 are elevations of one of the feed-rollers and one of theguide-rollers;

Fig. 10 is a perspective illustrating one adaptation of iny'niachine;and

Fig. ll illustrates'a.fragment of one of the films.

The frame of the machine includes two the Another part of my in! ventionconsists Ain novel means to 'preventflicker in a moving pictureproyecting niaside-standards a., and tie-barsA o and tiestrips c, d, c,f, g connecting them.

Viewing the machine from the front there n are l(in the presentadaptation) three sets of lvertically moving films at each side -of thecenter. These films, designated A, A, A and A, A', A, are each capableof being wound Aback and forth from one to the other of two rollersiplaced'one nearthe top and the other near the, bottoni of the machineand each journaled in a fork z' fulcrumed in the frame on a horizontalaxis. Immediately back of each such roller is a feed-roller j, the groupof three suoli upper rollers and the group'ofthre'e such lower rollersat oneJ Asideof the machine being fixed on the shafts Z and ythe twocorresponding upperand lower groups of suchrollers at the other side ofthe-machine vbeing fixed on the shafts la. Each two shafts lc and Z arehorizontal and are journaled at their outer ends inthe respective,side-standards and at their inner ends in a suitable bracket m (placedSomewhat to one side of the `center of the machine), being connected attheir inner ends by gearing nso that they rotate relaytively reverselyto eachother. Back of each -feeder-rollerf 'is a guide-roller o having4a ggrooved periphery receiving the .periphery of lthe 4correspondingfeed-roller, and this roller. is journaled in a fork p fulcrumed in theframe. responding forks i' and p', thus holding both vrollers li and. 0pressing against the feedrollers. Each film extends from one roller h,`around the adjoining`feed-roller and between the saine andcorresponding guideroller, and then between the other guideroller andfeed-roller, around the latter to the other roller It; at the outset itis established in af state of tension, which is maintained at all timeswhile the machine is operating because of the friction-grip main- Qneach shaft It is a pin-wheel r.

The shutter s is a disk having a series of exposure apertures s indifferent equidistant radii thereof; in fact, in the present instance,since there are three films delivering at a time (as will appear), thisshutter has three concentric series of such apertures, such series beingspaced apart the same as are the films. It is fixed on the forward end Aspring g connects the two cor-.

of'a horizontal shaft t journaled in a sleeve 'LL' at the upper end of abracketI 1ifixed to the tie-strip and at its rear end this` shaft isconnected by bevelegearing o with a transverse shaft 'w (journaled instands :l: mounted on the tie-strips e on which is a pinwheel y havingthe same number of teeth or peripheral pins as the pin-wheels r.

In the tie-strips 0 and g is journaled a vertical shaft which carriesthree cams 2 peripherally engaged with the pin-wheels r,

Each cam is divided into equal peripheral and similar cam port-ions eachof which includes a pair.. of parallel spaced ribs 2 extendinglongitudinally of the periphery of the cam, such pairs being` Separatedby a break 2 excepting as to au oblique rib 2 which connects one end ofthe, lower rib of one pair with the adjoining end of the upper rib ofthe next succeeding pair, the effect of which is to form the peripheryof the cam with a succession of camways 2 which at t-heir ends arediverted respectively up and down but between their ends extend longietudinally of the periphery of the cam, so that assuming one of thepin-wheels to be engaged with such a cam as shown in the drawings andthe cam to be rotated in either direction the pin-wheel will bealternately rotated and'held at dwell. 1t is desirable that as to `theshutters movement it should have a slight lead and follow with respecttc the films so as to insure as perfect cover as possible while the filmis moving. Hence,

while the cam for the shutter has in the present instance the same.diameter as the other two cams. I prefer to decrease the length of itsribs 2 and correspondingly increase the length of its ribs 2, which ofcourse also involves less degree of obliqueness of the latter. In thepresent case there are four cam portions to each cam, and the cams areso arranged that as to every one of four radial planes 90C apart suchplane will Vbe coincident with a planeexactly mid *ay of the length ofthe two ribs 2 of each of the three canisgwherefore it will be seen thatwhen the shaft e is in rotation the films and shutter will respectivelyladvance and rotate step by step. bothbeing at dwell at the same timeand in rotation at the same time,

though, as explained, the shutter hasa slight.- lead and follow for eachof 1ts movements with respect to the films.

The shaft e is adapted to be rotated first in one direction and then inthe other, in view of which it will be apparent that with both sets offilms arrangedto read the same wa y-either up or down) as one moves oneway to deliver7 the other becomes reset ('rewound), this condition beingrelativel'v reversed as to the two sets whenever the direction ofrotation of said shaft is reversed. Of course (in the presentadaptation) the shutter also rotates one way or the other according tothe', direction of rotation of shaft e', cooperating lirst with one setof films and then with the other as each dclivers; as will be pointedout its action with respect to the set of lilms which is being reset atany time is negative, since the light appertaining to that set of filmsis then inactive.

The time-to-time reversing dri ving means for shaft e is as follows: 3.l dey 'gnate a pair of transverse horizontal shafts one of which may beextendedat one end to receive a pulley or other driving member` saidshafts being connected by gearing 5 so as to rotate relativelyreversely. Back of these shafts is another transverse horizontal shaft6. Shafts 3, l, each have an elongated puh ley 7, and shaft (j two fastpulleys 8 and, between them, two loose pulleys S); two belts 10 and '11extend around the pulleys 7 of the respective shafts 3, l and alsoaround the, set of pulleys 8, 9. 12 is a shifter, movable back and forthtransversely of the machine, in the side standards, being engaged withboth belts. The shifter (as will appear) is movable to each of threepositions; at each limit of its motion it establishes thebelts on onefast and one loose pulley S. t) and at the intermediate position itestablishes the belts on both loose pulleys. A cam 13 controls theshifter, having' a peripheral rib 11 engaged in a notch in the shifter(Fig. el); the rib has two longitudinal portions 1l of equal lengthjoined by two oblique portions l-l of equal pitch (but reverse to eachother), each oblique portion having a short longitudinal portion ordwell 14 half-way1 of its length. The cam 13 is mounted on a suitablyjournaled'shaft 15 carrying a worm-wheel 1G in mesh with a worm 17 on asuitably supported shaft 18 carrying a worm-wheel 19 in mesh with a worm2O on the shaft Ever)v half-revolution of the cam, which derives itsmotion from shaft 3, one of the oblique portions of its rib '111 movesthe shifter one way or the other and so shifts the belts. 'lt isdesirable that the reversing should be effected with a dwell interveningbetween the rotations of shaft 6 in opposite directions; wherefore theobject of two loose pulleys 9 'and the dwell portion lt'" in the rib ofcam 13 will be apparent. Shaft (i is connected with shaft .2 by thebevel gearing 21.

There are a lamp-house, lens and filmguide for each film,' all mountedon a single support. This support Q2 is pivoted on' a vertical axis nearthe shutter to an arm 23 of strip f and it rests at its rear end on thestrip (l. The lens 24- is adjustable to and from the shutter in thesupport. Back of the lens, on said support, is the film-guide consistingof an apertured plate between which and spaced superposed guide rollers26 journaledtherein the film extends. Back aperture of which is alinedwith the lens and the aperture in plate The two (right and left) sets ofelectric lamps Q8 of these lamp-houses are in different branches of theVlightcircuit 29, which may contain a switch 30 movable with thebelt-shifter 12 whereby each set of lamps will be alternately cut inand-cut out when the corresponding films are deliveringland resetting,respectively (Fig. 3).

The operation of the machine as so far described is as follows: Shaft 3being con-l tinuously rotated in one direction and iotating shaft 4 inthe opposite direction, and also through. the vmeans 20, 19, 18, 17,16,15 and 14 reciprocating the belt shifter 12, the belts r10, l-l willbe from time to time shifted so that the power transmitted by them willcause the rotation of shaft G and consequently shaft z'to be first inone direct-ion and then in the other, with a yslight. dwell interveningas, in the shifting, the two belts are established on' the idle. pulleysand ribiortion-s 14 of cam 13 engages 'the l o b y, While one set ofnotch of the shifter 12. film feeding means is proceeding in onedirection, delivering pictures, the other set isl proceeding intheopposite direction, rewinding the films; at thesame time the shutteris rotated first one way and then the other (the reversals there-ofoccurring coincidently with the reversals of the `lms), in the presentadaptation always so that its direction of rotation is the same as thefilms which are delivering. The movements of the films and shutter arealways step-by-step (the same as in my application Serial' No. 260,993,in which this feature of my invention has already been set forth), theshutter coming to a stop with an aperture s thereof opposite one of thepicture areas (designated 31a in Fig. l) each time the film stops butcovering the film, by its portion between two adjoining apertures, whilethe film performs each increment of advance, as already sufficientlyexplained. In the preferred form as herein illustrated the two sets oflamphouses are alternatelyniade one active and the other inactive (undercontrol of switch 30) to illuminethe films; that is, when either set offilms is delivering, light isbeing projected on and through the same bythe cor responding lamp-houses, but at that time the lights in thelamp-houses for the other (rewinding) set of films are extinguished.Thus, so long as shaft 3 is driven, the inachine projects picturesprogressively, first by the films at one side and then'by those at theother. lThe lamp-houses may be shifted so as tol project the light beamswhere machine has a continuously .rotating shutter,

and in the endeavor to prevent so-called flicker the shutter is formedwith one 'or more apertures in addition to the main or exposureaperture, the additional aperture or apertures serving to modulate thecontrast between alternate light and darkness otherwise produced by the`shutter by allowing the light beam to pass through the shutter one ormore times between each two succeeding exposures. According yto myinvention, where the shutter moves step by step in synchrony with'thefilm, placing an exposure aperture in fixity before eachl picture-areabrought to a standstill in the light-beam, ficker is prevented byrepeatedly cutting ofi' the light-beam foi` each pause of shutter andlfilin, this being preferably accomplishedby an element, such as a disk,whichis provided with alternate opeiiiiigs and obscuring portions and ismoved through the light-beam at a high speed. Thus, back of the shutters is a disk or light-cutter 31 carri'ed by ,i

during each pause of the shutter a circular series of alternatingapertures 39 and Obseuiing portions 40 in the light-cutter will passthrough the light-beam (there being in the present caser three of theseseries, registering with the three concentric series of eX- posureapertures in the shutter). As to this part of my invention it will beunderstood that I am not confined to an intermittently rotating shutter,the broad idea I wish to reserve being means to interrupt the light beamintermittently during each placement of a picture area and theprojecting of the` picture thereof by a light beam, so that fiicker,instead of being prevented by lighting up (as it were) the screen onwhich the pictures are projected by means of projections of lightinterveiiing between those respectively occurring in synchrony withpicture placements' is prevented by a darkening (as it were) of thescreen by intermittent eclipsing or obscuration of the light activeduring each picture placement.

Having` thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1 'Tl1e combination, with acase'and-twopicture films therein, the latter having separate apertures,one for each film, of means coperating to display the filmsalterna-tely,one being time-to-time-reversing driving -means to advance the films oneforward and the other backward simultaneouslyand` step by step past thecorresponding aperture and the other being means common to bothapertures and movable to cover and expose first oneand then the otherfilm during its forward increments of advance and intervening pauses,respectively.-

2. The combination, with a case and two picture films therein, thelatter having separate apertures, one for each film, of means coperatingto display 'the films alternately,

one being time-to-time-reversing driving means to advance the filmsinrelatively op# posite directions simultaneously and step by. step pastthe corresponding'aperture, the pictures of both films being adapted 'tobe read in relatively the4 same direction, and the l other means beingcommon to both apertures and movable to cover and expose first one andthen thel other film during itsforward increments of advance andintervening pauses, respectively. f.

3. The combination, with a case and two'v picture films therein, thelatter` having sep arate apertures, one foreach film, of meanscoperating to display the hns alternately, one beingtime-to-time-reversing driving means to advance the films one forwardand the other backward simultaneously and step by step past thecorresponding aperture and the other being a. rotary shutter common tobothapertures and movable to cover and ex pose first one and then theother film during its forward increments of advance Aand Iinterveningpauses, respectively.

4. The combination of a rotary shutter lhaving an exposure apertureeccentric of its axis, two picture films arranged in different chords ofbut equidistant lfrom the center of the circle described by therota-ting aperture, and means, gearing the Shutter and films together,torotate the shutter and advaneeeither of the films step by step insynchrony.

5. In combination, an intermittently movable series of successivepictures, means to project a beam of light on the pictures, anintermittently movable shutter movable through the light beam and havingmeans to allow the light beam to pass therethrough on each dwellthereof, means to intermittently intercept the light beam while eachpicture is in placement, and means to cause alternate movements togetherand dwells together of said series and shutter and at the lsame time.drive the `secondnamed means.

6. In combination, an intermittently movable series of successivepictures, means to

